Maggie McKaig: guitars, accordions, vocals, coyote howls. Luke Wilson: banjo, cittern, tenor guitar, lap steel guitar, dobro, vocals. Murray Campbell: violin, oboe, English horn, vocals. Michael Zisman: bass, mandolin. Randy McKean, clarinets. Maggie and Luke also play with guitarist/singer/songwriter Peter Wilson as the Wilson Triplets.
And the long list: Who are these people? What else have they done? etc...
Maggie McKaig is a singer/songwriter/instrumentalist who makes her home in Nevada City, California. A guitar player since she was eleven years old, this 5th generation California central coast native, aside from being a musician and songwriter, practices as an herbalist, Jin Shin Jytsu practitioner, ranch hand, cook, mom, and musical theatre director/writer. She began her performing musical career in Calgary, Alberta, and spent nine years in Canada playing at many music festivals and clubs, including Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, and North Country Folk Festivals.
Perhaps her greatest influence in forming her far flung musical passions are the 20+ years she has spent directing youth musical theatre productions. Working at Center Stage and the Marsh Theatre in San Francisco, Maggie has specialized in producing original plays based on stories from around the world, and had the pleasure of creating, working, and performing with such artists as Miguel Santos, Monica Bermudez, Ricardo Diaz, Zakariya Diouf, Naomi Washington, Laura Elaine Ellis, Nader Shahin, Amina Goodyear, Susu Pampanin, Danny Duncan, Mestre Beicola, Mary Dollar, Jo Krieter, Aunty Linda Pi'ilani, Carlos Gonzalez, Ed Holmes, Janet Koike, Carolyn Brandy, George Brooks, Emily Klion, Russel Wright, Michelle Jordan, and Kaila Flexer.
Maggie has also taught guitar at Alasdair Fraser's Valley of the Moon Fiddle Camp. She spent a year on the road with two time Grammy winner Mary Youngblood as guitarist and backup singer, fulfilling her dream to just be a "sidewoman" for awhile. Maggie also performs with other fine Nevada County musicians as diverse as Peter Wilson (with Luke as the Wilson Triplets), Sands Hall, Joe Fajen, Charlie Brock, and the young folk songstress Mariee Sioux.
Canadian Luke Wilson is, as anyone who has ever heard him will agree, a very unique banjo player, and has been performing for more than 40 years. He spent the early 1970's in England and Europe, and recorded an album with partner Jesse P. Morin for Capitol Records called "Peaceful Company". From 1974- 1985 he performed with many top Canadian folk musicians such as Valdy, Diamond Joe White, Ian Tyson, Ken Hamm, members of Prairie Oyster, Ron Casat, and Bill Eaglesham. Luke was one of Calgary's top session players from 1976-1985, recording numerous commercials and various albums. In California, he has performed with a wide variety of musicians, such as Utah Phillips, Alasdair Fraser, Saul Rayo, Peter Wilson, Sands Hall, Dan Scanlan, Charlie Brock, Kimberly Bass, and many other talented Nevada County musicians. Luke also works as a record producer, and as well is a master luthier, working out of his shop, Wolfnote Studio, near Nevada City CA.
From Scotland, Murray Campbell moved to Nevada County early in 2005, and has performed and recorded with many Northern Californian musicians since then including Paul Kamm and Eleanor MacDonald, Alasdair Fraser, Kipchoge Spencer, Issac James, Vermillion Lies, and the Belfry Brothers. Having been both traditionally and classically trained as a musician in Scotland, he also studied in the Hague for a number of years. He loves to get people up to dance, and teaches a number of Scottish dances. Campbell is also a Sonologist and mathematical physicist.
Michael Zisman holds a Bachelor of Music degree from New Jersey's William Paterson College, where he studied jazz with teachers such as Rufus Reid, Todd Coolman, Harold Mabern, Joe Lovano, and Norman Simmons. After moving to New York City in 1985, Michael began performing with jazz legends such as Cecil Payne, Junior Cook, George Coleman, Phil Woods, Jimmy Cobb, David "Fathead" Newman, Clark Terry, Eddie Henderson, Jerome Richardson, Kenny Burrell, Herb Geller, Don Friedman, Junior Mance, Mundell Lowe, James Williams, and many others. Michael also performs and records with some of the jazz stars of today including Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi, Joe Farnsworth, Steve Davis, David Hazeltine, Dena DeRose, Akira Tana, and Matt Wilson.
In 2000, Michael returned to the San Francisco Bay Area to serve as the Artistic Director, Education Director and Programs Manager of the Stanford Jazz Workshop (SJW) and Festival until 2006. He continues to perform with many of top artists working in jazz, such as Ernestine Anderson, in addition to conducting clinics in music education and the music business for jazz schools, festivals and conferences around the country, and serving as a consultant for agents and artists, festivals, clubs and music education organizations.
Saxophonist/clarinetist/composer Randy McKean has performed with rockers Poi Dog Pondering, David Rice and Teratoma, took part in the premiere performance of MacArthur Genius award recipient Anthony Braxton's Tri-Centric Orchestra at the Kitchen in New York City, and has toured Taiwan as part of James Fei's alto saxophone quartet. His most recent activities include the Nevada County Composers Cooperative and the performance collective Gardyloo; noise improv trio Me & Alex Ross, with guitarist Ross Hammond and percussionist Alex Jenkins; avant-folk duo GraVIE, with violinist Murray Campbell; the chamber jazz duo Off Center, with guitarist David Dvorin; and appearances with Alex Jenkinsï¿_ Sound Immersion, Ludi Hinrichs, Maggie McKaig & Luke Wilson, and Dan Plonsey's ensemble Daniel Popsicle. Other performance/recording credits include work with Gregg Bendian, Don Byron, Mark Dresser, Debris, Phil Haynes, Kevin Norton, Gino Robair, and Herb Robertson. His CD's include So Dig This Big Crux (Rastascan) and, with the Great Circle Saxophone Quartet, Child King Dictator Fool (New World).
Randy received a B.A. in Jazz Studies from Coe College, where he studied with Paul Smoker, and an M.A. in Music Composition from Mills College, where he studied with Anthony Braxton, David Rosenboom, and Maggi Payne. He has lived and worked in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City, and he and his family have called Grass Valley home since 2002.
Influences
Canadian songwriters like Ian Tamblyn, Willie P. Bennett, and bands like Prairie Oyster and Backline Orchestra. Bonnie Rait. Bob Marley. Joni Mitchell. Our neighbors Terry Riley, Alasdair Fraser, Utah Phillips. Newgrass Revival. Pete Seeger. Ella Fitzgerald. Mitch Miller. Tony Rice. Norman Blake. Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross. The Cirque du Soleil show "Alegria". The Beatles, the Beach Boys. Eddie Adcott. Pete Stanley, John Hartford.
Storm Session plays almost all original music written by Maggie, who has worked with musicians, dancers, artists, and storytellers from many, many, cultures around the world through 13 years of directing youth musical theatre in San Francisco, California. Whether it was learning enough gamelon to teach 80 children in a production of the "Ramayana",or ukelele in a production of the Hawaiian epic "Pele", or Orff instruments for the "Magic Flute", "Don Quixote", "Sundiata", drums for "The Arabian Nights", any of it may surface in Maggie's compositions, and style.
Luke's approach to banjo takes more from jazz and African rhythms than bluegrass. His grandmother and mom and dad, all musicians, were huge for Luke. And his grandpa Wilson built musical instruments for R.S. Williams in the 19th-early 20th centuries in Oshawa Ontario, and Luke inherited all of his tools, and carries on the trade to this day.
Maggie and Luke like to mention how they are influenced and interested in supporting people and organizations they believe are helping change the world for the better. They frequently perform at concerts and rally’s benefiting organizations, groups, and individuals. Some of these in the past have included:
Hospitality House; Peace Center of Nevada County; Rosalie Sorrels; Unitarian Universalist Church of the Mountains; South Yuba River Citizen’s League (SYRCL); The Center for the Arts-Grass Valley; KVMR Radio; Mariposa Waldorf School; Yuba River Charter School; Nevada City School of the Arts; St Joseph’s Cultural Center; Miner’s Foundry Cultural Center; Elizabeth Martin re-election campaign; Canadian Midwives Association; Nevada County TeleVision NCVT..................
You may have seen/heard us at these venues in the few years:
Odd Fellows Hall, Nevada City
KVMR Radio
Moutain Beat Music and Songwriter’s Showcase openmindradio.com
The Briar Patch, Grass Valley
Cozmic Café, Placerville, CA
Mamma Llama, Weaverville, CA
Stage Door Cabaret, Mount Shasta, CA
Café Coda, Chico
The Stone House Restaurant, Nevada City
Dos Banditos, Nevada City
Plough and Stars, San Francisco
Hotel Torre Di Cala Piccola, Monte Argentario, Italy
House Concert, Muricciaglia, Castellina, Chianti, Italy
Halla Na Cloch Pub, Nevada City
Earth Day Festival, Loma Rica Ranch
A Midsummer's Dream—Ashland Oregon’s Art and Music Festival
Relay for Life at the Raider Stadium at Southern Oregon University
KBCS Radio Lunch With Folks, Bellevue, WA
CKUA Radio Nine to Noon Show, Edmonton, Alberta
The North Country Fair, Alberta, Canada
The Ironwood Stage, Calgary, Alberta
Perrenaud Ranche Solstice Celebration, Alberta
The Mississippi Pub, Portland, Oregon
The Upstage Theatre and Restaurant, Port Townsend, WA
Conor Byrne's Pub, Seattle, WA
The Irish Times-with Calvin Cairns, Victoria, Vancouver Island
The Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan Vancouver Island
Samhain Concert--Cooper's, Nevada City
Solstice Concert--Cooper's, Nevada City
Dave’s Cave, Auburn, CA
Robert Burns' Night--Miner's Foundry, Nevada City
Beltane Concert, Holbrooke Hotel, Grass Valley
Halla Na Cloch Pub Saint Patrick's Day Celebration, Miner's Foundry
Peace Center Concert, Saint Joseph's Hall, Grass Valley
Sierra College Sunset Concert, Sierra College Campus, Grass Valley
KVMR 9th Annual Celtic Festival, Grass Valley
Various Peace Rallies, Nevada City, Grass Valley, San Francisco
Maggie's previous gigs with Mary Youngblood:
Imagination Theatre, Placerville, CA
Sacramento City College, Sacramento, CA
Fairy Tale Concert Series, Sacramento, CA
Southwest Fest, Taos, New Mexico
Coleman Theatre, Miami, Oklahoma
The Oneida Tribe, Green Bay, WI
Silver Wave Records, Denver, CO
House Concert Boulder, CO
College of the Redlands, Redlands, CA
Crest Theatre, Sacramento, CA
Freight and Salvage, Berkeley, CA
The Center for the Arts, Grass Valley CA
Sounds Like
One time Murray answered this "What/who do you sound like?" question with these words: "Our music is green, circular, and has a point." We all agreed. Others, that aren't even related to us, have been very kind in their praise of our concerts, and recordings...
"We are so happy that we ventured out to your show last night. Thank you. It was beautiful. Lovely, lovely.... Poignant, funny, touching, wacky, eccentric, grounding...
A great night."
--Eleanore MacDonald
"For over 15 years, Maggie McKaig has remained one of my favorite musicians and songwriters. Unceasingly original and provocative, the landscape of work is unfailingly refreshing and thought provoking."
--Carolyn Crane, Radio Journalist, Nevada City, CA.
Reviews from CD Baby:
"WOW! I just couldn't get enough of this album! It's a rare integration of music and lyrics supported by exquisite musicianship. It's nothing short of sparkling brilliance and originality! Keep recording, you guys! We need more music like this!"
--Matilda Katz, musician, author
"This CD’s broad texture results from Storm Session’s consistent originality, passion, and imaginative instrumentation. It’s a treat for ears, mind and heart."
--Jeff Kane, musician, doctor
"Wonderful music, heart touching and inspiring. I will never forget the first time I heard Maggie sing at Coopers three years ago. I was so moved by her words, voice and passion that it took me to another place. This CD does something magical like that too. You have got to add it to your collection."
--Mollie Wilmot, artist, author
"Maggie, Luke, and the band have set out a fabulous feast. Every song on the CD is uniquely wonderful and the range and variety a delight. Lyrics, vocals, and instrumentals are individually great and blend together just right. Simply Transporting. Just don’t ask me which is my favorite song—it’s so hard to choose when they are all so good."
--Randall Buechner
Fan Mail:
Dear Storm Session,
My heart is windswept,…….. there are tremors in my knees, tears of joy fall like the monsoon rains, hurricane winds are featherweight to how your music has blown me away, and I am forever your humble servant of grateful ear, heart, mind, and soul..
And yes, there are a few important things in life, as all good travelers know, and although I have never spent a night in Viterbo, I HAVE through your music. Which brings me to the 'green, round, but with a point' fact that you will forever be my heroes.
Congratulations on your new release!
Love,
Ali Leon...musician, artist, from Canada/Mexico
The video below is from our CD Release concert in Nevada City on March 14, 2008. Filmed by Craig Rohrsen of Creekside Video Productions, recorded by Ken Schumacher of Live Vibes Recording. We also have other videos out on You Tube.
Photos in slide show, of one of our gigs at Cooper's in Nevada City, CA, are by Tony Finnerty. Tony is this amazingly sweet and talented man who comes to many events in our community, takes wonderful photos, and posts them on the web. To see more of Tony's work got to:
http:// flipperty.smugmug.com/
value="http://www.youtube.com/v/twHrd86dOvw"> ..
At the 2009 Just Plain Folks Music Awards, Maggie and Luke placed 6th out of 5000 entries for Best Celtic Instrumental. They were selected to perform at the event at B.B. King's Blues Club in Nashville TN, and had a blast doing so. They were also selected to be premier showcase artists at the 2009 FAR-West Folk Alliance Conference. On a roll, with their mesmerizing Americana Gypsy Celtic Folk Music for the World. Kick up your heels jigs, reels, mazurkas, and tangos to boot. And all kinds of songs from all over the world.
Storm Session is led by Maggie McKaig and Luke Wilson, who have set themselves quite the task by combining all the genres they do. How well do they do it? And why do they do it? As to how well, here are the words of one reviewer. DJ Andy Dooley-Miller wrote in the October/November 2008 KVMR Radio Listener's Guide:
EDGE OF THE WORLD--
"This is one of those albums that gets better the more you play it. At first the song writing stands out. The songs are "World Music" -you can hear Americana, Celtic, Gypsy, Middle Eastern, eastern European influences weave their way through the CD. Maggie McKaig has written, or co-written 10 of 11 songs and instrumentals that cover topics ranging from gods, heroes, mere mortals, mythical beasts, and mayflies.
Later, you start to notice the little extra touches that the band adds to the songs that make the songs magical at times. Between the four members of the Storm Session band; Maggie McKaig and Luke Wilson, with Murray Campbell and Michael Zisman, they play a wide variety of instruments including guitars, accordions, banjo, tenor guitar, dobro, lap steel, violin, oboe, English horn, fretted and fretless bass, mandolin. This is a wonderful locally produced album by seasoned veterans that deserve a larger audience."
Why do they do it? Well, as Sands Hall, author, playwright, Professor of creative writing at Franklin and Marshall college, and musician tells it:
"Thirty years ago, Maggie McKaig took hold of the horn of her saddle and the handle of her guitar case and headed to Alberta, Canada, where she worked as a ranch hand during the day and worked on her musical guitar chops and songwriting at night. One day she wandered into the shop of Luke Wilson, luthier (who then and now plies his meticulous craft with the same lovely tools once used by his grandfather) and musician. Somewhere in the process of his fixing some aspect of her guitar, and playing the banjo for her, they fell together, and thirty years, two sons, and five albums later, they are still going strong.
Their band, Storm Session, which includes Scottish violinist and horn player Murray Campbell, Nevada County clarinetist Randy McKean, as well as San Francisco jazz bassist Michael Zisman (who also plays mandolin), performs astonishing and eclectic music: once known as folk, the music now definitely classifies as world music. In addition to their long love affair with Celtic forms, Maggie has been digging deep into her Russian ancestry, and her accordion, for some new tunes, such as the lovely Napoletana Mazurka, as well as commemorating the journey she and Luke took to Italy in 2006, beautifully concocted in the album title, and in the songs Neptune's Garden, Travelers, and Tutto Va Bene. Onstage with Luke and Maggie, in addition to two world-class musicians, is an array of instruments that are part of their music: accordion, guitar, tenor guitar, banjo, dobro, violin, oboe, English horn, electric bass, and mandolin.
A year ago, during a thunderstorm, Luke leaned in to kiss Maggie just as lightning zigzagged across the sky outside their home (a home that at any given moment holds, in addition to a baby grand piano and numerous accordions, about nineteen stringed instruments). This is not just why their band is called Storm Session, but it's a sign of the spark in their marriage, and in their music, that makes their partnership such an extraordinary gift."
Maggie, Luke, and Murray have also joined forces in 2009 with the dynamic and ever inspired Nevada County musician Randy McKean, on clarinet and bass clarinet. Randy is an integral part of the Café Storm Gypsies, who have been playing at the Nevada City Classic Café most Fridays since Valentine's Day 2009.
Thanks for your support of the last NLO concert the photos are now viewable on our myspace site. We are currently mixing the last 6 songs on our 17 track project. Look for it in stores in December 2009
Every time that we listen & write music... play an instrument... sing & dance... act in a play... or work in some audio/image/video engineering process... something is healing inside...
When we share it with friends... something is healing all over...
cada vez que escuchamos o escribimos musica... tocamos un instrumento... cantamos y bailamos... o trabajamos en procesos de ingenieria de audio/imagen/video.... algo se sana por dentro...
Cuando lo compartimos con amigos... algo se sana en todas partes...
El Amor puede conducir... de manera simple... todo...
believe it or not, i will be back in nevada city for a few months this fall! long story involving romance. alison and i will be out there in august doing some touring too. so, see you soon!
hi maggie...congratulations to you and luke on the new recording...no banjo on mine cuz there's only one guy and you got him down there!...look forward to seeing you, wish you could bring himself too...cris
Hi Maggie! So nice to hear from you. I still remember the short time we all spent together with great joy. Yes, life has been full of interesting twists and turns lately. I'm actually moving again, this time to Toronto to study at the Glenn Gould School of Music. I'll be back to Canada in July. If Murray is coming to Holland in May or June, he is more than welcome to come stay with us. We have space for him. I'm still playing with Bill. In fact he's spending a week in Amsterdam at our place right now. We have some gigs over the summer, then it's back to the hard world of classical music. How are you these days? I hope you're playing a lot and your lives are all filled with fun. I hope to see you on the road sometime. Until then... Love, Aysha.
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